Weightlifting could reverse frailty in old age

Older people would benefit from weightlifting and increasing their protein intake to reverse frailty, new research suggests.

Increases in life expectancy have led to rising numbers of frail older people, with one in 10 people suffering with infirmity, rising to half of those over the age of 80.

Writing in the British Journal of General Practice, lead author John Travers, of the Department of Geriatric Medicine at St Vincent’s University Hospital, said: “Frailty screening is increasingly recommended in primary care and in some cases contractually required, but there is a lack of guidance on interventions, once frailty has been identified.

“This study outlines both the relative effectiveness and ease of implementation of frailty interventions in primary care, and these findings may help the choice of appropriate primary care interventions.”

Researchers reviewed 46 studies on frailty interventions involving 15,690 people. They found that interventions with both muscle strength training and protein supplementation were consistently considered to be the most effective.

The study authors recommend that GPs should prescribe 20-25 minutes of weight training exercises four days a week to elderly patients. These should be made up of 15 workouts to strengthen the arms and legs - as well as improving balance and co-ordination.

They also advise elderly people to drink a protein powder supplement to help keep limbs and joints supple, with a dietary emphasis on daily milk, eggs, tuna or chicken.

While there is no exact definition of frailty, it is usually used as an umbrella term to describe a range of linked age-related factors such as lack of energy, unintentional weight loss, slow walking speed and reduced grip strength.

Previous studies have suggested that lifting weights is healthier for the heart than running or walking, with researchers at St. George's University in Grenada concluding that muscular building exercises lead to more reductions in weight and blood pressure.

Chad Smith, owner of Fitness Revolution, says: “Weightlifting enhances your metabolism, it helps your posture, it enhances your energy, it makes you more durable for sports of physical activity, so definitely strength training ought to be a part of everyone's program.”